Benny Andersson’s The Circle Among Stockholm’s Works in Progress

This year’s Industry Days (November 12-15) unspooling parallel to the Stockholm International Film Festival is showcasing ten Works in Progress from up and coming and established Scandi directors, most of them targeting a youth audiences. Among them is The Circle produced by ABBA co-founder Benny Andersson.

Currently in post-production, the €4.5m fantasy drama The Circle is directed by Levan Akin (Real Humans). It is based on the first instalment in the Circle trilogy by authors Sara Bergmark and Mats Strandberg about six young witches who have to fight an evil force. Benny Andersson has composed the music and is producing with his son Ludvig Andersson and Cecilia Norman Mardell, for their new outfit RMV Film. Walt Disney Nordic is set to release the film early 2015.

Two other youth fantasy films in post-production based on best-selling books are shown as works in progress: the €7m The Shamer’s Daughter directed by Kenneth Kainz for Nepenthe Films and Boys (pictured) directed by Alexandra-Therese Keining for Göta Film Production.

Joining them are the Zentropa-produced The Here After by Swedish newcomer Magnus von Horn, the drama thriller Flocking by Beata Gårdeler (In your Veins) starring Ville Virtanen, the Finnish film Stupid Young Heart by Academy-award nominated Selma Vilhunen (Do I have to Take Care of Everything) and four projects from STHLM Debut: Honour Among Thieves by Peter Grönlund (B-Reel), Imaginary Country by Angela Bravo (FASAD), Children of their Time by Erik Green Petersson (Envis Film) andDetained by Anna Persson and Shaon Chakraborty (RåFilm).

The 25th Stockholm International Film Festival has more than 200 films from 60 countries in its programme, including Mikael Marcimain’s Gentlemen that kick started the event on Wednesday. The film is the only Scandinavian title competing for the Bronze Horse award.

Emma Vestrheim is the editor-in-chief of Cinema Scandinavia. Originally from Australia, she is know based in Bergen, Norway, and attends major Nordic film festivals to conduct interviews and review new films.